The Bad Apples
by esteed
Summary: Emma joins a gang, and Steed is taken hostage. Please R/R!! It's finished!
1. Default Chapter

The night was a dark rainy night. A man ran down the street. His footsteps echoed loudly on the cobblestones. He was a young man of twenty something. He was slim, and dressed well. His face was soaked with sweat, but he couldn't stop. He looked behind him. He didn't see anything. Good, he chuckled to himself. Maybe he'd lost them. Wham! He slammed into something. The man fell to the ground. Dazed, he looked up. He was surrounded by women! Not, smiling, friendly women, but women with sneers on their face. They were all dressed exactly the same, in black leather suits. Each was clutching a different weapon. One held brass knuckles. One a whip. One a small pistol. They inched closer, smiling evilly.  
  
"No!!" the man screamed. "Nooooo!"  
  
  
  
Mrs. Peel was completing her daily physical regimen at the local gym. This included jogging for twenty minutes, and punching the huge punching bag in the gym. As she taped her knuckles, ready to begin, her eyes were drawn to the punching bag. On it were written, in huge letters, MRS PEEL. Steed stepped out from behind the bag, looking out of place in his usual three piece suit, and uttered two words, "We're needed." 


	2. Mrs Peel Goes Bad

Steed and Mrs. Peel walked down the dark alleyway. A white chalk outline stood out on the filthy street.  
  
"Four of our agents killed within a week," Steed began. "And what's stranger is that they were all male operatives."  
  
"Do we have any suspects," Mrs. Peel questioned.  
  
"Well, we thought it might have been Them, but they denied knowing anything."  
  
"They always do. Anybody else?"  
  
"Well," Steed started, "that's where you come in."  
  
"What do you mean Steed? I'm already involved."  
  
"Yes," Steed hesitated, "But we want you to go undercover. We think it might be an all-girl gang called The Bad Apples."  
  
The women from the previous night stood in different positions around the small dingy room. Four were gathered at a table, playing poker. A few more watched the old tv, and the ringleader Granny Smith and her right hand woman Golden Delicious planned their next murder. Granny was a tall redhead with striking green eyes. Golden Delicious seemed to be all sunshine, from her golden hair to her tan skin, to her amber eyes. Suddenly the door burst open. Mrs. Peel leaned against the doorframe, rather nonchalantly.  
  
"I heard you were looking for members," she said, studying her nails.  
  
"Yeah that's right," Granny Smith said. "And who might you be."  
  
"My name is Mrs. Emma Peel. I'm a judo expert, and a fair hand with a gun."  
  
"Oh yeah? Prove it." Granny Smith thrust a small black revolver into Mrs. Peel's hand. "See that," she indicated a button laying on the floor clear across the room. "If you can hit that from where you are, then you're in."  
  
"I can do better than that," Mrs. Peel smiled. She turned around and took a small mirror out of her pocket. Focusing the mirror, she aimed the gun behind her, and pulled the trigger. The button shattered into tiny pieces.  
  
"All right. But before you can become a full fledged member of the "Bad Apples" as we're known, you need to prove your loyalty."  
  
"I'm game," Mrs. Peel stated. "What did you have in mind?"  
  
"Every inductee has to kill a selected Ministry official. We're giving you the best. John Steed. If you don't succeed in killing him, we kill you."  
  
Mrs. Peel nodded, her mind whirling. How was she going to fake Steed's death?  
  
"And don't worry. We'll have him waiting for you. Be here Saturday night at midnight."  
  
"All right." And with that, Mrs. Peel turned to walk out the door. "Oh, here." She tossed Granny Smith the handgun. "This'll be a snap." 


	3. The Kidnapping

Mrs. Peel sped towards Steed's flat in her silvery Lotus Elan. She just hoped that she could come up with a plan.  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Steed was just sitting down with a large brandy, when he heard his doorbell ring.  
  
Sighing, Steed debated whether or not to answer. BUZZ! The doorbell was insistent. Steed slowly got up and stode to the door. He opened it, smiling, "Hello, I didn't…" Steed stopped. Mrs. Peel wasn't at the door. It was a delightful young woman wearing a lowcut top and a miniskirt. "Hello," he said, as only Steed can.  
  
"Hello," the young woman said looking down, "I've heard all about you. That is if you're who I think you are. John Steed?" She flashed a brilliant smile.  
  
"I sincerely hope so."  
  
"Good," the woman began, but never finished. Before Steed could react, she had him pinned to the floor, hogtied.  
  
"Am I so out of practice that a girl half my size can defeat me?" Steed thought to himself, cursing his inability to resist the opposite sex.  
  
"Sorry Mr. Steed. You're going to need to come with me." And with that the young woman bent over, and hoisted Steed over her shoulders. Steed hoped that no one was watching. It was embarrassing enough to be hogtied, but to be picked up and carried?  
  
The woman giggled, as if hearing his thoughts. "No, Mr. Steed, you're not out of practice. I'm just stronger than I look." She carried him down the steps to a waiting black nondescript car, and tossed him in the trunk. "Toodles" she giggled, then slammed the trunk shut. Steed felt her hop in the back seat, then felt the car roar off. It stopped suddenly at a light, and Steed was thrown against the back of the car. He felt the door give and then oblivion. 


	4. The Rescue

Mrs. Peel sped through town, weaving in and out of traffic. About a block from Steed's apartment, Mrs. Peel noticed a man lying on the ground, hogtied. "That can't be Steed…" Mrs. Peel thought to herself. As she drew closer, she saw that it was in fact Steed. "You're very lucky that this isn't a busy street, Steed," Mrs. Peel chortled, at the sheer absurdity of Steed's position.  
  
"Laugh all you like, Mrs. Peel, just please get me out of the street," Steed requested.  
  
Mrs. Peel placed her car in park, and opened the door. "I'm not sure I shouldn't keep you like this," she said, "it certainly would keep you out of trouble."  
  
"Ha, ha." Steed replied, clearly not amused.  
  
Mrs. Peel untied Steed, then helped him into her car. "What happened?"  
  
"A very attractive young woman came to my apartment, hogtied me, and hoisted me into the trunk of a waiting car. When the car stopped, I managed, with a great deal of skill, to escape from my prison."  
  
Mrs. Peel smiled, not quite believing Steed's story. "So, a woman half your age managed to hogtie you, and carry you single-handedly to her car?"  
  
"She was an Amazon, Mrs. Peel," Steed began indignantly, his pride hurt.  
  
Mrs. Peel laughed. "Poor Steed. Pride hurt? Let's get back to your apartment, and I'll fix you a nice, large brandy."  
  
  
  
"You fool!" Granny Smith was screaming at the young woman, who had tried, unsuccessfully, to kidnap Steed. "How could you let him get away? Never mind," she said quickly, not wanting to hear the young woman's excuses. You, there, Macintosh," Granny Smith called to a petite red-head, with sparkling blue eyes, and a peaches and cream complexion, "It's your turn. I want Steed back here, within the hour!"  
  
"Y-y-yes ma'am," the woman stuttered. Quickly she turned and ran out the door.  
  
  
  
Steed and Mrs. Peel were relaxing at his flat. Steed was nursing a large brandy, and Mrs. Peel was contemplating her next move. Suddenly the door rang, startling each out of their reverie. "I'll get it," Mrs. Peel muttered to Steed. He nodded, and quickly strode into the kitchen. Mrs. Peel rose and strode purposefully to the door. She opened it and standing there, in a blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes, was Macintosh.  
  
"Mrs. Peel? What are you doing here? Isn't this John Steed's apartment?" Macintosh was clearly puzzled. Could Mrs. Peel be a ministry agent?  
  
"Don't be silly, I am not working for the ministry," Mrs. Peel replied quickly, reading the girl's mind. "I merely thought it would be for the best if I gained Mr. Steed's trust. It will make things so much easier on Saturday night."  
  
Steed, hearing this in the kitchen, chuckled. Mrs. Peel could get herself out of any dire strait.  
  
"Oh, of course," Macintosh replied.  
  
"Now, you'd better be going, before he sees you."  
  
"Yes, I'll be going now." Macintosh walked down the hall, thinking back over the conversation she'd just had. Something wasn't quite right. She couldn't put her finger on it, but…  
  
"Am I safe from kidnapping," Steed asked, as he strolled out of the kitchen.  
  
"For the moment," Mrs. Peel replied, "but I would be prepared for at least one more try. I'm going to go now."  
  
"To where," Steed inquired.  
  
Mrs. Peel just smiled, and sauntered out the door, shutting it carefully behind her. 


	5. Danger

Granny Smith paced around the small, dirty room. "Idiots! Fools!" She screamed at the members of the gang, "I knew it! If you want something right, you have to do it yourself!"  
  
"But, Granny," Macintosh interrupted, "She said she wasn't a Ministry agent."  
  
Granny Smith rolled her eyes. "And you actually believed her?" Macintosh nodded, looking downward. "Never mind," Granny Smith snarled. "Just find out where this Mrs. Peel lives. If that's her real name." She nodded to yet another woman. "You, Rome, this is your job." The young woman was tiny, standing barely 5 feet high, and had long black hair down to her waist. Her eyes were a startling shade of almost clear blue.  
  
"Right, Granny," Rome replied. With that, she slipped out the door.  
  
Granny ran to the door, "And don't you," she stopped mid-shout. Rome had already disappeared.  
  
  
  
Mrs. Peel walked up the steps to her apartment building. What was she going to do? The leader of the Bad Apples may have already caught on the fact that she was a fake. Engrossed in her thoughts, Mrs. Peel did not notice the small dark shadow lurking in the corner of the stairwell.  
  
"Mrs. Peel," the shadow asked.  
  
Mrs. Peel whirled around, "Yes," she got no further. The small black shadow leaped at her with the speed of a tiger. Mrs. Peel had time to see that the shadow was indeed a small woman with long black hair, before she fell backwards and hit her head on the railing. Darkness consumed everything.  
  
  
  
"Yes Granny, I have her right here. Don't worry she's not going anywhere. She's a little tied up at the moment. Yes Granny, I understand." Rome hung up the phone in Mrs. Peel's apartment.  
  
Mrs. Peel was tied up and was laying across her orange sofa. She moaned and opened her eyes.  
  
"Welcome back, Mrs. Peel," Rome said, looking directly into her eyes. Mrs. Peel shuddered, Rome's eyes looked like two holes going back into her head. "Now Mrs. Peel, I suppose you're wondering why you've been gagged as well." Mrs. Peel looked away, she had already guessed why. "It's a trap for your friend, Mr. Steed." Rome smiled at this. They suddenly heard a loud knocking at the door.  
  
"Mrs. Peel!" It was Steed  
  
"I forgot to tell you," Rome whispered into her ear, "I left a little message for Steed. Now don't give away my hiding place." She smiled and walked over behind the door. Meanwhile, Steed had grown worried. He used the button located on the outside frame of Mrs. Peel's door, and pressed it. Instantly the door swung open. Steed caught sight of Mrs. Peel lying tied up on her sofa. "Mrs. Peel," Steed cried rushing forward. Just as he was about to un-gag her, Rome rushed forward with unhuman speed, and knocked Steed out with a judo chop to the neck. Mrs. Peel's heart sank. Now what was going to happen!? 


	6. Captured

"Granny Smith will surely be pleased," Rome said, smiling. "I caught two birds with one stone. Tsk. Tsk, Mrs. Peel. You shouldn't have tried to infiltrate our gang. We always catch our agent."  
  
Mrs. Peel mumbled something under her gag.  
  
"You want to talk, Mrs. Peel?" Mrs. Peel nodded. "Very well then, I'll remove your gag, but no yelling," Rome warned. "You will regret it."  
  
"You seem to have the idea that I am a ministry agent," Mrs. Peel stated. "I am not-"  
  
"Do you think I'm stupid," Rome interrupted.  
  
"Well," Mrs. Peel stalled for time. She almost had her hands untied. Rome smiled seeing what she was doing smiled. "See you later, Mrs. Peel," she chortled evilly and gave Mrs. Peel a judo chop to the neck.  
  
Everything went black. 


	7. Revenge is Sweet

Mrs. Peel awoke with a start. Her neck ached. She was again gagged, and her bonds had been tightened. She immediately went to work on them. The fools must not have learned. She could escape from practically anything. The bonds loosened enough for her to get her hands free. Mrs. Peel sat up, and quickly untied her ankles. Lying unconscious on the table next to her was Steed. Mrs. Peel heard someone coming. She ran over to the door, and hid behind it. "Creak," the door swung open. A young woman carrying a gun peeked cautiously inside the room. She saw the empty table. Her mouth opened in a wide O. "Where could Mrs. Peel have gone," she muttered to herself, as she walked into the room.  
  
"Right behind you," Mrs. Peel answered as she judo chopped the girl's neck. Quickly, she placed the girl onto the table and tied her up. "Steed," Mrs. Peel whispered, shaking him, and then removing his gag.  
  
"Mrs. Peel," Steed questioned.  
  
"That's right," Mrs. Peel replied with a smile. She turned her back to the door, and began untying Steed. "Here hold this," she said, handing Steed the stolen gun.  
  
"Where to now, Mrs. Peel," the newly freed Steed questioned.  
  
"To their center of operation. If we take down Granny Smith, we take down the whole society." She crept over to the door, and opened it slowly. Sticking her head out cautiously, she looked first to her right and then to her left, she motioned for Steed to follow her.  
  
  
  
Mrs. Peel led the way down the dark, dank hallway. Suddenly, she heard the soft click of a gun being armed, and felt a barrel of cold steel against the back of her head.  
  
"Nice, and easy, Mrs. Peel." The speaker was Golden Delicious. Mrs. Peel stood up slowly. "Now, start walking." Mrs. Peel glanced at Steed. He too was being led down the hallway by an armed Granny Smith.  
  
"As I always say, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself," Granny Smith proclaimed. Mrs. Peel gave Steed an almost imperceptible nod, before judo chopping the gun from Golden Delicious' hand. Steed seized Granny Smith's arm and threw her against the wall. He banged her hand against the wall until she dropped the gun. Mrs. Peel judo chopped the head and shoulders of Golden Delicious until she collapsed from the pain. Next, Mrs. Peel turned on Rome, bent on revenge. Steed turned on Macintosh. A brief struggle ensued. Finally, all of the Bad Apples were subdued.  
  
  
  
"Ding dong." The doorbell rang through Mrs. Peel's flat. Cautiously, she opened the door. Steed was standing there with a huge basket of apples.  
  
"Ah, Mrs. Peel," Steed said jovially, "The Ministry wanted to express their gratitude, so they sent this over."  
  
"Steed," Mrs. Peel replied, "I never want to see another apple as long as I live." She shut the door in Steed's face and walked away. Steed stood puzzled in the hallway. What had he done now? 


End file.
